The present invention relates to a two dimensional drive system, more precisely relates to a two dimensional drive system, which is capable of moving a plurality of moving bodies.
An example of two dimensional drive systems, which are capable of moving a plurality of moving bodies, was disclosed in the Japanese Patent Kokai Gazette No. 3-213233.
The conventional two dimensional drive system has a plurality of sub-drive systems, each of which is capable of moving one moving body in a plane. The sub-drive systems are arranged in a plane. Each sub-drive system has an X-drive mechanism for moving the moving body in an X-direction and a Y-drive mechanism for moving the moving body in a Y-direction perpendicular to the X-direction. The X-drive mechanism and the Y-drive mechanism can drive the moving body independently.
However, the conventional two dimensional drive system has following disadvantages.
The drive system must have one X-drive mechanism and one Y-drive mechanism for each moving body. In case of moving four moving bodies, for example, the drive system must have eight drive mechanisms. Therefore, the drive system has a complex structure, and manufacturing cost must be higher. In actual uses, four moving bodies are seldom driven independently, so a lower cost drive system is required now, even if it has some limitations to the movement of the moving bodies.